Envisioning a world in which every young musician is given the opportunity to succeed

“If you told me years ago that I would be traveling to Vancouver, Canada and being a guest performer at a Ted Talk conference i wouldn’t believe you. I’m still in shock that that happened”

Akili with violin soloist Ray Chen at NYO.

Akili was invited by Stanford Thompson to travel to Vancouver, Canada for the 2017 Ted Talk fellow conference, where she and a couple of past and present members of Play on Philly performed in front of some of the worlds career and visionary thinkers. On May 21, 2017 one of Akili’s life long dreams was made into a reality. She and a few other students were chosen to perform along side Violinist Hilary Hahn for the Lyra Harp Society benefit concert. "This experience was something that i thought could only be a dream. Hilary Hahn is someone who I've looked up to for years. Hilary is the type of player that I strive to be in years to come. Meeting her and talking to her in person was far more then what I expected in my head. She even allowed me a little back stage access where I was able to perform a little bit of my concerto for her. I was given some great tips on my playing. We also talked about my up and coming college auditions and career path. I have to say the experience has changed me forever I am now a firm believer that dreams do come true no matter how far fetched they are."

Akili traveled to Asia as the only student from Philadelphia accepted to NYO in the summer of 2018. She was a featured young artist on From The Top, and will begin college this Fall at the Royal College of Music in London.

Akili performing Sarabande by Carl Bohm.

Akili on From The Top.

Violinist Akili Farrow began her studies in Play On, Philly! at Saint Frances De Sales, and currently attends String Theory High School. She studies privately with Jennifer K. Lee and Kimberly Fisher. Akili has participated in Musicopia String Orchestra, Settlement Music School, Philadelphia Sinfonia, and The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra as their Principal Second Violin. She attended Interlochen Arts Camp during the summers of 2015-2016 with a grant from the Marian Anderson Award, and was featured in a film about her accomplishments at the Marian Anderson Gala in the fall of 2015. Akili states "My time that I've spent at Interlochen has shown me all the different ways art can be portrayed. From artist painting the beautiful Michigan sunsets to the Musicians ending the long camp day with Swan Lake. Ive also met my best friends there and to this day we still keep in touch. I thank everyone who has given me this opportunity."

No stranger to the screen, Akili has also appeared in the film Crescendo: The Power of Music, and on the CBS morning news. In the year of 2016 Akili was announced an All City Fellow where she was given amazing opportunities such as performing chamber music along side students from The Curtis Institute of Music. Akili entered the All City Concerto competition were she was placed as runner up. She’s also participated in a master class given Violinist Benjamin Beilman. The fellowship also allowed fellows free access to the Philadelphia Orchestra concerts and rehearsals where Akili met the great Itzhak Perlman and learned a couple of viola jokes and tips about being a musician.

Listen to Akili’s performance on From The Top, live from Longwood Gardens, on November 5th.